The Friend Zone
by sunflowersongs
Summary: Complete - Edward has loved his best friend Emmett's sister for years, but he thinks Bella has only seen him as a friend. Could one revealing night change everything?
1. Chapter 1

**A million thanks to my sweet beta, GeekChic12, for her hard work on this. No words for how grateful I am for her help. Lynzylee pre-reads for me, and she's quite simply, wonderful. Much love to you ladies.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I own the contents of this story.**

**This is sweet and dirty, and from Edward's POV. Enjoy. xx**

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**The Friend Zone**

My body tightened, and my heart sped up at the sound of keys rattling on the other side of the door. As the click of the deadbolt sounded, I arranged myself casually on the sofa, remote in hand, giving the pretense of watching ESPN.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

For it was her I waited on. It was her I longed to see. My best friend's sister, Bella Swan. The woman who haunted my dreams both day and night. The woman who drove me crazy. The woman I wanted take to bed and fuck seven ways to Sunday. The woman I was hopelessly in love with.

Playing it cool, I only glanced over at her as she came bursting through the door, bringing noise and her vibrancy along with her. I heard her toss down her enormous purse and then the sound of her keys hitting the table we had by the door for such things.

"Hey!" she called brightly.

I looked to her with a relaxed grin. "Hey, yourself. Have a good day?"

"Let's not talk about it. Look. I brought supper. Let's eat instead."

"You're my savior," I replied as she plopped the bag of food down on the coffee table in front of me.

I slyly watched her as she slipped her arms out of her jacket, making her big breasts jut out. I quickly looked back to the bag.

"Marillo's again?"

She flopped down on the sofa beside me. "Yep. Turkey sandwiches on fresh baked whole wheat with lettuce, tomatoes, and spicy brown mustard, along with waffle fries."

"So, your usual," I replied with a chuckle.

"Well, your favorite as well." Her answering laugh sped my heart up again.

"I'll get the drinks since you brought us food." I leapt up and ran to the kitchen, grabbing her a can of Diet Dr. Pepper and me a can of Coca-Cola.

"Also my favorite. Thanks," she said as she took the can from my hand. For a brief second, our fingers touched.

"No problem," I answered and tried to concentrate on my food.

"Hey. Care if I change the channel? Sports Center kind of bores me."

"Watch whatever you like. I wasn't really watching that anyway." _Nope. I had been waiting on you, beautiful._

Bella flipped around the satellite until she settled on a Seinfeld rerun. I half watched the show as I ate and tried to discreetly observe her.

As usual, she only ate half of her food while I demolished all of mine. She scooted her foam container over. "Here. I know you want it."

_I want you_, I nearly replied but bit my tongue.

"Thanks."

As I began to munch on her half-sandwich and leftover fries, I pondered why she never ate much.

"How come you don't eat all your food?"

She sent me a surprised look. "With you being a personal trainer, I would think that's obvious. I'm already overweight. The last thing I need is to eat more food."

"Overweight?" I skimmed my eyes over her. "You look just right to me. Girls worry too much about their weight, in my opinion. A real man loves his woman for who she is, not for how she looks in a bikini."

"You won't find me in a bikini."

"And why not?" I asked.

"Really? Do I need to point it out to you? Anyway, I prefer a one-piece. And a wrap around my hips."

I shook my head. She really had some body issues, but they were misplaced. That body of hers about drove me crazy. How could she possibly think she wasn't the type that could wear a bikini? I focused on that image in my mind and felt my dick twitch. I'd seen her several times in a chaste one-piece, and she did not disappoint. But oh, to see her in a bikini, her big breasts ready to spill out, her round ass cheeks peeking out, those long legs, toned and tanned, wrapping themselves around my hips…

I shifted in my seat and tried to clear my head.

"Wear whatever you feel most comfortable in, but I'm telling you, you'd rock a bikini."

She looked down and fiddled with the remote. "That was nice."

We fell silent after that, me pretending to watch the show and Bella seemingly deep in contemplation. After the show went off, Bella switched off the TV and turned her body on the sofa to face me. She tucked one long leg up under the other and propped her elbow up on the back sofa cushion.

"May I ask you something?"

I arranged my body to mirror hers and quickly nodded. "Anything."

"Well, what I really need is some advice. I need you to be brutally honest with me."

"Are you in some sort of trouble?" I asked, settling into seriousness. Whatever it was, I'd take care of it. Of her.

She grinned. "Me? I'm as dull as they come, just ask my brother. Well, whenever he gets back from his trip to Australia," she said. "No. This is about…" she hesitated and bit her lip. "It's about sexiness."

_Uh, what_? "Sexiness?"

"Yeah. Do you, I mean, do _guys_ think I'm sexy?" she quickly added, her cheeks blooming with color.

How to even answer that question without revealing myself entirely? "Why do you ask?"

She let out a frustrated sigh. "Well," she hesitated again. "There's this guy I like. Actually, I'm pretty sure that I'm in love with him, but I think he only sees me as a girl that's a friend and not like, a girlfriend."

I felt a crushing, painful weight bear down on my chest. So, Bella loved some other guy who apparently couldn't even see her the way I did. How could he not notice her soft beauty, her intelligence, her sense of humor, her playfulness, her luscious, sexy body? That guy must be an idiot.

I cleared my throat. "So how exactly can I help you?"

"Well, I need to know some things. First," she said as she pointed to her hair, "my hair up, or…" She reached back and pulled her pony tail holder out, and her long dark brown, almost black hair fell about her shoulders in a wavy mass. "Down like this?"

I loved her hair. She was pretty with it up, her cute ears visible and her long neck on display, but down…

"I like both. Up you can see your face better. Down. Well, any man would love to dive his hands into that hair of yours as he kissed you," I said as I looked away.

I heard her exhale. "Okay. Down it is," she said to herself.

"And this?" She leaned over and pointed to her neck. Draping her hair over her opposite shoulder, she offered me that long, pale column. "Is this perfume sexy? Or should I try another scent?"

Curling my hands into fists to keep from grabbing her and kissing her, I began to lean forward. So close I could see her pulse leaping, I slowly drug the tip of my nose along her skin, inhaling her spicy, musky perfume. Underlying it was pure woman, pure _Bella_. In some sort of sexual fog, I nearly kissed her jaw when I reached it, but sanity reappeared, and I sat back.

"That perfume, for sure," I answered as I tried to calm my breathing down.

"Okay," she said quietly. "Now here's where it gets a bit…inappropriate."

I swung my eyes to hers.

"Should I wear shirts like this?" she asked as she pointed to the dark green, long-sleeved, body molding one that was over a white tank top.

"Or?" She reached down and gripped the bottom of her green shirt, tugging it over her head. In the process, her white tank top slid up to her bra. _Her white, sheer lacy bra_. The under curves of her breasts were visible for a moment before she yanked it back down. She then arranged her big breasts and shoved them up as she tugged the tank top down until she was displaying mind-boggling cleavage. "Or like this? Too slutty?"

At that moment, all I could do was stare at the breast feast in front of me. _Jesus_. _To be able to shove my face into that tempting valley between those beauties_.

"Edward?"

Snapping out of my boob daze, I lifted my eyes to her face. "You walk around like that, Bella Swan, and men are going to be crashing their cars and walking into things from ogling you."

"So this would definitely get his attention?" I heard amusement in her voice.

_Lucky son-of-a-bitch_, I muttered to myself. "Unless he's dead or blind, he'll notice."

"Ah, good. So boobs work," she said. "Last thing." She stood up, and her fingers reached for the hook of her jeans.

My dick had been half-hard and twitching all through this, but at that seductive pose of Bella's, I was hard and arching. I couldn't breathe as she unbuttoned her jeans, then slowly spun around.

She turned her ass to me, and I heard the sound of her zipper. Riveted to that rounded ass, I watched as she hooked her fingers into belt loops on each hip and shimmied her jeans slightly down. _Jesus God, help me. _

"Do men really find thongs sexy? I've got to say, it's not my favorite thing to wear. I much prefer a normal pair of panties."

My entire being was focused on that little triangle of white lace peeking above her jeans. All too soon it was gone, her refastening her pants and sitting back down beside me.

"Well?"

Thanking God that I'd left my t-shirt untucked so it was somewhat covering my massive, painful erection, I attempted to speak.

"Bella. Uh, I…I mean _men_, are happy to see ass and p…uh, the other thing. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. I, uh, just remembered that I have somewhere to be. Uh, I'll catch you later," I mumbled out as I hastily arose, turning away from her to hide my hard-on.

"Edward?" she called, but I ignored her. I was so close to doing something I shouldn't, like kiss her, that I had to get out of there.

I kept my back to her as I grabbed my keys off the table and flew toward the door. As I reached for the door handle, Bella called to me again. "Edward. You don't have to leave," she said quietly.

"Yes, I do," I replied, my voice rough.

Once in the hallway to our apartment, I stopped and slapped my palms against the wall as I knocked my forehead into the plaster. A grunt of frustration accompanied my pain.

I had no destination in mind. Nowhere else I wanted or needed to be. I just wanted to be back in Bella's presence, but the thought of all she'd shown me being offered to some other asshole pissed me the hell off. I needed to blow off some steam. The gym it was. If that didn't work, then I'd head to the bar and down a few beers. At all cost, I needed to avoid going home until I was sure Bella was asleep.

One hour-long, brutal workout and three beers later, I headed home. I was still sexually frustrated, but at least the exercise had alleviated some of my anger. I cautiously unlocked the door and peeked my head in, but all was quiet. Since Bella's car was parked outside, I knew she was here and most likely sleeping.

She'd left one lamp burning for me, so I wouldn't be stumbling around in the dark. That was Bella. Thoughtful.

Still too keyed up to sleep, I decided to watch some TV. I went first to Bella's closed bedroom door to check on her. Hearing nothing from inside, I went to my bedroom and slid out of my clothes. Stripping down to my boxer briefs, I quickly grabbed a pair of shorts for decency and quietly padded my way back out to the living room.

Flipping through the channels, I could find nothing interesting. I settled on a mindless action movie, the volume low, and relaxed back against the sofa cushions.

What to do with all that had transpired earlier? I knew Bella only saw me as a friend, but that display earlier had been nearly insulting. After all, I _was_ a heterosexual man, and even if I hadn't been crazy in love with her, all the feminine sexiness she'd hit me with earlier would have still brought me to my knees.

What was wrong with me? Why couldn't it be me she loved? We had known each other for half our lives, but that didn't matter. I'd been best friends with her older brother, Emmett, since we were both fifteen. Ten years later, we were still best friends.

I'd been in love with Bella for nearly as long. She was two years younger than us, and I'd watched her grow from a gangling, awkward girl into a beautiful, refined woman.

Perhaps that was part of the problem, at least for me. I was so afraid of her rejection and the possible loss of my friendship with Emmett that I never tried to pursue something with Bella. There also was the fact that she'd never so much as hinted that she ever thought of me as anything other than another older brother figure.

I sighed. Forever lost in the desolate wilderness of the dreaded friend zone. Was there anything worse?

What was I thinking anyway? Emmett had left on his trip with his girlfriend, Rosalie, with strict instructions that I keep an eye on his sister. I didn't think he quite had me seducing her or trying to make her my girlfriend in mind. In fact, if such a miracle ever did occur, I would be a little afraid of Emmett's reaction.

This was stupid and pointless. I should've gone to bed and tried to get some sleep. Tomorrow was Saturday, and I had a full schedule at the gym where I worked as personal trainer. I was glad of that. It would keep me away from the apartment and away from Bella.

My mind drifted back to Bella's breasts pushed up, nearly falling out of her top, then that thong. _Damn that thong_. My dick leapt to life again, and I knew I'd never ever be able to get to sleep if I didn't rub one out. I'd never masturbated so much in my life like I had the past six months since Bella had moved in here. The relationship my right hand had with my dick was damn near a marriage at this point.

I listened for Bella, but all was still quiet from her bedroom. I pushed the front of my shorts and boxer briefs down, freeing my aching dick. I closed my eyes as I dwelled upon Bella's breasts and then that moment when she'd unbuttoned her jeans.

I softly grunted. Biting my lip to hold back my moans, I sped up my motions, adding a slight twist when I reached the head of my dick, the pad of my thumb grazing that sensitive spot. I felt my balls tighten and knew I was close.

My mind went to my favorite image, the one that never failed to shove me over the edge of my orgasm. One day I'd come home to find Bella just getting out of the shower. I'd found her in the hall between our bedrooms just wrapped in a small towel, her hair damp and her skin rosy pink. Jesus. She'd looked edible that day. I'd near collapsed then and there. I remembered the hasty excuse I'd made and slammed my bedroom door, trying to be silent as I'd jacked off into my hand.

I was nearly there, Bella's name upon my lips, when I heard a soft click. I went stock still.

"Edward?"

_Oh, shit, oh shit, oh shit_.

I hastily pulled my shorts up, then grabbed a pillow and shoved it over my lap.

My breathing was ragged and my heart racing. I tried to make my voice sound normal when I spoke, but I'm afraid I failed miserably. "Bella."

She lightly padded into the living room and gave me a once over, her eyes resting on my bare chest and then the pillow covering my lap. She then curled up beside me on the sofa.

"Where'd you go?"

I heard her words, but I was beyond distracted by her appearance. Bella was wearing just some tiny little t-shirt nightgown that didn't cover much, and that wasn't helping my hard-on situation. Not with the added dynamite of her braless, puckered nipples pressing against the thin fabric, her sleepy eyes, and crazy bed hair.

She looked entirely too…fuckable.

I closed my eyes and laid my head back on the sofa. _What did she just ask me_?

"Ah, I had to step out to the gym for a bit. Then I ruined all my hard work with a few beers at the bar."

I raised my head and glanced over at her.

She took a long strand of hair between her fingers and began to play with it, wrapping it around the tip and letting it fall. I found that distracting. Perhaps because I'd longed to run my fingers through that soft hair for years.

"Oh. I thought maybe it was all those things I asked you. That was wrong of me. I see it now. I hope I didn't ruin our friendship. I never want to lose that."

_That fucking friend zone_. It was a constant blow to my male pride that this woman couldn't see me as more than a friend.

"It would take a whole lot more than that. As a matter of fact, I don't think there's anything you could do to lose my good opinion."

She looked down, her long lashes briefly resting on her cheekbones. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear that."

And here was where I became magnanimous. "So, tell me about this guy you more than like."

She darted her eyes to my face, then back down to the sofa. "Ah. He's great."

"He can't be too great if he doesn't notice you," I retorted.

That seemed to amuse her for some reason, for she sent me a lop-sided grin. "Oh, I'm fairly certain he notices. It would be hard for him not to. That's not really the problem."

"I don't understand. Then what _is_ the problem?"

She reached out and trailed a fingertip down my arm. "That I want him."

_Lucky son-of-a-bitch_.

"That doesn't seem like a problem," I replied and looked away with a frown.

Bella added another finger to the first and now two fingers were tracing a pattern on my forearm. I stared down at those fingers for one long moment before I lifted my eyes to hers.

So many things were flying through my mind at the moment, it was hard to process them and make sense of them. She loved some guy. She wanted some guy. But she was touching me. She was looking at me like…it was a _good_ look.

My heart began to pound. I was terrified in this moment of saying or doing the wrong thing. One fuck-up and everything would fall to pieces. But if…if she had, by some fantastic, extraordinary chance, been talking about me, then this could be the beginning of something _so_ good. Something that would alter both our futures.

Bella got up on her knees and crawled over until she was against my side. Her fingers that had been on my arm were suddenly trailing across my chest, lightly tugging my hair, and then skimming over my nipple. I was so turned on, my emotions in such tumult that I felt like I was about to come apart.

"Bella?" The husky timber of my voice was unmistakable.

"Edward," she replied with a little grin.

"That guy you were talking about earlier?"

She nodded. "I think he really likes my hair down, my perfume, my boobs, and I think he'd really enjoy taking that thong off of me. With his teeth."

"Jesus. _It was me_?"

"Yeah," she answered as she leaned down and placed a kiss on my shoulder.

"It was me," I repeated in wonder.

"Of course. I thought I was going to have to strip all the way down earlier. Getting a reaction out of you isn't easy, you know."

"Wait. You like me? You want me?" My brain was not keeping up with this conversation, but my poor heart and perhaps my dick as well, were jumping for joy.

"Like?" She laughed as she sat back on her feet. "I think it goes just a bit beyond like."

"How far?" I whispered in crazy hope.

"Far enough that I daydream about our wedding and our future kids. That far enough for you?" she asked with a bone-melting smile.

I reached out a trembling hand and cupped her cheek. "Is this real, or am I dreaming?"

She leaned her face into my hand. "It's real. I'm real. And I'm in love with you."

I tossed the pillow onto the floor and sat up until my face was close to hers. "I've been in love with you, Bella Swan, for a long, long time."

"How long?" she whispered.

"Long enough that years ago I pictured that wedding and babies you'd give me. That house in the suburbs and Christmases with our family. That long enough for you?"

"Only forever will be long enough for me," she responded with a gentle kiss against my lips.

"You've got it, baby," I replied right before I sealed my lips to hers.

Our kiss was deep, searching, life-changing. My teeth gently nibbled her lip, then soothed it with kisses. My tongue swept her mouth and tangled with her own. This went on for some time, and still, I was in disbelief that I was actually kissing Bella Swan.

She leaned back and gave me a coy look. "What were you doing when I came out of my bedroom? I could have sworn I heard you whisper my name."

I felt my face redden and averted my eyes. "Just, uh, daydreaming."

"But it's night. And you don't daydream with your dick in your hand."

I swung my eyes back to hers. "Shit. I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to see that."

"I was kind of hoping to watch…or maybe even…participate."

My mouth fell open.

She giggled, then put a finger under my chin, pushing my mouth closed.

"Let's see what you're hiding underneath here."

I just sat there immobile, in shock and wonder and raging lust that Bella was being so forward, so…_naughty_.

I watched her face as she tugged down my shorts and underwear, freeing my achingly hard dick.

"Nice," she said with a flick of her eyes to mine and a sexy look that made my dick twitch.

She laughed. "This is fun. But this might be more fun." She then wrapped her hand around my dick and stroked. I nearly came up off the sofa.

"_Bella_."

She leaned in and brushed her lips across mine. "Edward. Just close your eyes and enjoy."

"No way. I'll enjoy it, but I'm sure as hell keeping my eyes open. I'm desperate to touch you," I breathed out through a groan.

"Then touch me," she replied as she gently massaged the head of my dick.

"Shit, Bella. I'm not going to last long."

"That's okay. Me neither," she gasped as my finger slid under her thong and brushed her damp curls. "Don't stop," she ordered me.

I chuckled and then slid a finger inside of her as my thumb found her clit. She closed her eyes and moaned, grinding down onto my hand. I exhaled hard as my balls tightened. Bella sped up her movements, somewhat erratic now that I was pleasuring her as well.

"Come with me. Please come with me this first time," I begged.

"Yes. So close," she cried as she leaned in and kissed me.

I gripped the back of her head to hold her face to mine as my other hand worked her wet heat.

"I'm there," I gasped against her lips.

"Me too," was her breathy reply.

I felt her insides clamp down on my finger as her orgasm hit her. That pulled me over the edge, and I was soon pumping my cum into her hand. I kept working her until her cries died down and her body stopped its shuddering.

"Nice," I said against her lips between ragged breaths.

She flopped down, resting her head over my heart. "Better than nice. That was fucking fantastic. I can't wait until you really fuck me. I may die."

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her to me, trying to get my sanity back. "Can that be tonight?" I asked hopefully.

She titled her head back and looked up at me through her lashes. "Yes. It will be tonight."

"You're bossy and kind of naughty. Who knew?" I said, well pleased with these discoveries.

"You mind?"

"Fuck no. I love it. I love _you_."

"Hmm. I love you, too," she sighed. "Edward, what took us so long to get here?"

"Fear, I think."

That answer seemed to startle her, and she leaned her head back, a little line of confusion between her eyes. "Fear?"

"Yeah. Fear of losing what we did have between us, fear of losing my friendship with Emmett, fear of you not liking me for anything other than a brother figure. And then fear of looking like a tool for trying to attempt to change that. I hated being in the friend zone, but at least I got to be near you and see you."

"I thought you only liked me as Emmett's sister," she quietly replied.

"I do like you. I like you better than anyone ever. I like how you cry at silly commercials and how you put mustard on everything and how your lips move as you read. I like how you bring vibrancy and the sun with you wherever you go. I even like your addiction to sappy Hallmark Channel movies. You're a romantic with a soft heart. I love that. I like how smart you are, how you graduated with a near perfect grade point average. I like how thoughtful you are, the little things, like bringing me supper along with yours and leaving a light on for me so I wouldn't be stumbling around in the dark when I got home. I like you. I've _always_ liked you. Even when you had skinny legs and braces, I liked you. It's always been you."

"You noticed all those things?" she asked in a small voice.

"I notice everything about you, Bella Swan. Every day that I get home before you, I sit and wait for you to walk in that door. Only then am I happy. Only then am I at peace."

She slid out of my arms and stood in front of me, holding out her hand. "Any man who knows me like that and likes me for those things must love me."

I took her hand and rose up in front of her. "I do. I swear I do."

Her big dark eyes were warm and inviting, matching her sweet smile. "Then come with me, Edward Cullen. I do believe we're about to have the best night of our lives."

"Wait."

"What?" she asked, the light dimming a bit in her eyes.

"I need to take care of something real quick."

I picked up my cell phone and quickly texted Jasper at the gym, telling him I wouldn't be in this weekend. He could reassign my appointments or cancel. I didn't care. I then shut off my phone. Nothing was interrupting me this night.

"Just clearing my schedule for the weekend, baby. Now I have two free days with you."

She graced me with a huge toothy smile that about knocked me senseless. "Awesome. I have plans for you. Call me baby more. I love it."

I reached up and cradled her face. "Baby. My beautiful baby," I whispered.

She brushed my lips with a fleeting kiss and then headed toward the hallway, tugging on my hand. I stopped her as a soul crushing thought hit me.

"Bella. We need protection. I don't have any condoms. Let me get dressed, and I'll go get some. Or we could wait until tomorrow," I offered, inwardly groaning at the thought.

"No need. I'm on the pill. I'm clean. Mom makes sure I visit the gyno every year. So, it's up to you."

The thought of taking her bare, no condom, just my sliding into her wet warmth was enough to bring me back to a full erection.

"I've only ever been with one other woman, and that was a while ago. Last physical, I got full blood work, and I'm clean as well. Are you sure you want to do this? This is all new, like _an hour ago_ new. We can wait. I can wait. I've waited this long for you. I'll keep a while longer."

She gave me a peck on the cheek. "But I won't. I've never had sex with anyone besides myself. I'm eager to get rid of my virgin status. I choose to give it to you. You're the only man I'll ever do this with. That is, if you marry me," she added with a little grin.

She was a virgin. All that goodness was only ever for me. Fierce love and possessiveness overtook me. I gripped her arms and tugged her against my chest. "Name the date. I'm yours forever."

"Promise?"

"Oh, Bella. Do I ever promise."

Her eyes got misty. "Come," she implored as she took my hand again and led us into the closest bedroom, which happened to be mine.

"I promise to be gentle. I hate to beg here, but can I please see your breasts now?"

She laughed and then pulled her nightgown over her head. I'd been expecting wow, but not _oh, my god I can die happily_ wow.

"I know they're big, perhaps too big, and I'm not fit like you…"

I held my fingers over her lips. "There's no such thing as too big of breasts, and you look amazing." I skimmed my eyes down her curvy frame. "You look so good I could eat you."

I reached out and cradled her heavy breasts in my hands, memorizing the weight and the feel. Then I skimmed my thumbs over her taut nipples, eliciting a soft moan from Bella. Deciding to do exactly what I'd wished to do forever, I leaned down and rubbed my face in the valley between her breasts. I gently squeezed them, pushing them against my cheeks.

"God. These are amazing."

I eased her back onto the bed and gently laid her down. I followed her with my mouth, tracing kisses around her left breast until I reached her taut peak and licked, then lightly sucked. Bella gripped the back of my head and held me to her.

"Yes. I like that," she sighed.

I was going insane in want to be inside of her, but I wouldn't do that. Not yet. This was her first time, and I wanted it to be special. I wanted it to be everything good and pleasurable so that she'd have a cherished memory.

I transferred my attention to her right breast as my fingers trailed over her ribcage, down her belly, to the goodness hidden under her thong. I skimmed my fingers over the material, feeling how wet it was. That elicited a moan from me, and soon I had my fingers sliding between her lips to her clit. I lightly rubbed it, and she pressed her hips against my hand. She may have been a virgin, but she wasn't shy. I loved that.

I kissed my way back up to her mouth, and we shared long, deep kisses that left her soft and pliant under me.

"Time for some real fun."

"Fun? I thought we were having fun," Bella said in amusement.

"Well, more fun. You did tell me I had to take that thong off with my teeth. I'm quite happy to oblige."

She laughed and gave me a quick kiss. "You don't have to, if you don't want."

"Oh, I want."

I kissed her again to silence her and then began a wondrous journey down the Bella wonderland. I licked my way down her throat, did a brief detour to her breasts again, then down her stomach to her cute innie belly button. I skimmed my eyes up the contours of her body and decided that was the best view on earth.

Biting the band of her thong in my teeth, I worked it over her hips as Bella lifted her ass to help me. I worked it down her legs and then over her feet to the floor. I just stared up her lying there, legs slightly spread and the curls of her pussy damp and inviting. I couldn't wait to have my mouth on it. But, first things first.

Proceeding with great care, for I loved her legs, I picked up her foot and kissed the top, then the arch, then her ankle. Then slow, wet kisses up her shin, over and behind her knee to her thigh.

I had to pause and stare again at her pussy before I repeated the process for her left leg. Finally I arrived at heaven. I inhaled deeply before spreading her thighs and trailing the tip of my tongue along the sweetest thing I'd ever tasted.

"Oh, my God, that feels good!" Bella cried out, raising a chuckle out of me.

"It tastes better," I replied before I really went to work, lapping up her moisture, flicking my tongue over her clit, then penetrating her with my tongue.

She was a virgin, so I knew I'd have to get her ready before I ever thought to enter her. I pushed in one finger, pumping it in and out, then added another, trying to stretch her. She, in turn, was bucking against my hand and making sweet sounds to my ears. I went to work on her clit again and soon had her coming, her body shuddering with release, her walls clamping down on my fingers.

I was beyond desperate to be inside her at this point but made myself take my time. I kissed a path back up her body, paying special attention to those magnificent breasts of hers. Retaking her mouth, I kissed her deep and slow, loving the tastes of her mouth and her pussy mixing on my tongue.

"Ready, baby?"

"Yes."

"If it hurts, I'll stop. You tell me. Don't be shy."

"I won't," she replied.

I covered her body, aligning mine to hers as I sank between her thighs. Grabbing my dick, I rubbed the head up and down, teasing her clit and her opening until she was writhing against me. Carefully, I began to push inside her and nearly came from the tight warmth that surrounded me.

"You okay, babe?"

"Oh, yeah," she replied, winning a laughing grunt from me.

I pushed in more, inch by inch, until I was all the way in. I leaned down and took her mouth in a scorching kiss.

"Still good?" I rasped out as I pulled out and slowly slid back in. I may have lost my mind in the process.

"Yes. Just stop talking, and keep doing that," she ordered me.

"You've got it, baby," I answered as I began to pick up the pace of my thrusts, stopping to roll my hips. She dug her fingers into my back as I took her breast and sucked hard.

"So close. I can't hold back. Bella," I exhaled as my orgasm burst upon me. I think I was yelling; it felt so damned good. I slowly thrusted into her until my orgasm was spent and then took her into my arms, rolling us to our side.

I stroked her back and placed little kisses on her face as I tried to get my breath back.

"That was incredible. Thank you. I know you tried to make it special and you were so gentle with me. I love you for that."

"Just for that?"

She giggled. "Well, that was pretty damned good sex, not that I'd know. But still, that was pretty damned good sex. To answer your question, though, no. I love you because you're an amazing man. You're kind and loyal and have such a good heart. That you're good in bed is just a bonus."

A deep, contented laughed rumbled from my chest. "I could say the same for you. Who knew you could be so passionate? I approve."

"I bet you do. Let's get a snack and then talk. We have a future to plan. Beginning with…telling my brother."

I cringed. "He's gonna kill me."

"Nah. Well, I hope not," Bella responded.

We stayed up most of the night, talking, snacking, and making love. The whole weekend pretty much passed in a blur of amazing sex. Come Sunday evening, we were both exhausted, and our bodies were screaming for some much needed rest.

"Where did the time go? I have to be at work at eight a.m. tomorrow," Bella groaned as she flopped back onto her pillow.

She was wearing one of my t-shirts, and I loved it. We'd just gotten back from a food run, and Bella had immediately stripped down to her panties and my shirt. I'd just pulled on a pair of shorts, leaving my chest bare because Bella really had a thing for my chest. Not that I minded one bit.

"Me too. As much as I've eaten this weekend," I said, glancing at Bella with a smirk, "it's going to take days to work it off."

"Most of that wasn't food," she reminded me.

I laughed and grabbed her waist, pulling her on top of me. "Hmm. True that. Better than food," I growled as I pulled her face to mine for a kiss.

I rolled us, settling myself happily between those legs of hers I loved so much; then I began to get serious about fucking her.

"Edward? Bella? I'm back early 'cause Rose has an interview. _Holy fucking hell_! _What the fuck is going on here_?" Emmett bellowed.

I looked at Emmett in absolute shock, then met Bella's wide eyes.

"Oh, _fuck_. I guess we should've left our phones on, baby. I love you," I whispered. "The shit's about to hit the fan. You ready?"

"You two stop it! Edward, get the _fuck _off my sister!" Emmett yelled, impatience and anger in his voice.

"I love you, too." Bella leaned up and gave me a quick kiss. "Now I'm ready."

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Much love,**

**Sunny**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, I was going to leave this a one-shot, but a little more of the story came to me and wouldn't get out of my head. One more chapter for sure, before I can wrap up this little story. Thanks for your support, dear readers! You know it means the world to me!**

**Much thanks to Lynzylee for her help with this chapter. Love ya, sweetie!**

**Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I own the contents of this chapter.**

**This is Bella's POV…**

* * *

**The Friend Zone**

**Chapter 2**

I sat on the couch beside Edward, his hand firmly holding mine as my brother, Emmett, sat across from us glaring at Edward.

"One week. I leave for _one fucking week_, and you, you piece of shit, you so-called friend, take the opportunity to fuck my sister?"

"Hey!" I said angrily.

"Watch it," Edward replied, his voice low and vibrating with anger.

"How long's this been going on?" Emmett demanded.

"It's a recent development," I replied as I squeezed Edward's hand. He shot me a brief, affectionate look in return.

"_How_ recent? _How_ long?" Emmett demanded again.

"Em. This is mine and Edward's business and nobody else's," I said firmly.

"Like hell it's not!" Emmett retorted with balled up fists.

"Why are you so angry?" Edward asked quietly.

Emmett stared at him in shock. "_Seriously_? I catch you between the legs of _my sister_, and you wonder why I'm _angry_?"

"We're both adults and this has nothing to do with you," Edward reminded him.

"It has everything to do with me!" Emmett shouted. He stood up, his face red and his breathing coming hard as he glared at Edward. "I'm so going to mess you up."

Edward looked to me, raised my hand kissing my knuckles, then gently placed my hand on my leg. He slowly unfolded himself from the sofa. He then crossed his arms and inclined his head as he stared down my brother.

"I'd like to see you try."

Emmett took an angry step toward Edward.

I leapt up. "Guys. Stop! This isn't the way to settle this."

"Be quiet and stay out of this, Bella," Emmett ordered me while never taking his eyes off of Edward.

"_Do not_ talk to her like that!" Edward growled. "You. Me. The boxing ring at the gym. Now."

"Let's do this," Emmett agreed.

"Are you two nuts?" I asked in dismay.

This had not gone anything like I'd imagined. I never thought my brother would be so angry. And I certainly didn't realize how protective Edward would be of me. I admit that I liked that part. A lot.

"Baby, it's okay. Don't worry. We'll work this out," Edward said to me, as he brushed my face with his fingertips.

"_Baby_?" Emmett choked out. "_Jesus fucking Christ_," he muttered.

"I'm coming with you," I declared as I reached for Edward's hand.

"No."

I glared at my brother. "You are _not_ the boss of me. I'll do whatever I want."

"We'll see," he said, then turned and headed to the door. "Move it, Cullen," he ordered Edward.

Edward sighed. "Go ahead. We'll get dressed and follow you."

Emmett went to retort something to that statement, but I stopped him. "Go! We'll be right behind you."

"Fine. Five minutes. Move," he tossed back at us as he slammed the door behind him.

"Jesus. That sucked," Edward said as rubbed his face. He glanced to me, worry in his eyes. "You okay, baby?"

"Yeah." I leaned into him. "Don't do this. I don't want you two fighting," I begged him.

"Em will never have peace if he doesn't at least try to beat the shit out of me. Trust me in this."

"But you both could really get hurt," I replied in dismay.

Edward brushed a kiss across my brow. "I think I can take a few punches in order to restore peace back between us all. Why don't you stay here? I'll be back soon."

"No way. I'd bite all my nails off in worry. I need to be there," I insisted.

"All right. Let's get dressed and get this over with. I do believe I promised you a dinner," Edward said with a warm smile.

"Yeah," I replied distractedly. I swiftly kissed his lips and then headed to my bedroom. Grabbing my phone, I called Rosalie.

"What?" Came her grumpy, tired voice over my phone.

"Rose. I need you. Em came back here to me and Edward together, and now they're going to fight!"

"What?" I heard muffled sounds and then a thump. "Why would they fight? And what do you mean 'you and Edward together'?"

"I mean, as in, Em found Edward and me in bed. Now he wants to hurt Edward."

A few seconds of silence, then, "About damned time. You two have been dancing around each other for years. How was it? Edward looks like the type to be fuck hot in bed. Well? Tell me!" Rose demanded, suddenly shifting into gossip mode.

"Rosie, shit!" I laughed in frustration. "I don't have time to discuss my sex life right now! I need you to come help me prevent my brother from killing my boyfriend."

"Not until you answer my question," Rose replied with a laugh.

"Oh, fine. I'll spill. It was _amazing_. The earth moved. I saw fucking unicorns that shit rainbows. _He loves me_, all right?"

"Oooh. I want deets later! Be there soon," she answered.

"Wait! Meet us at Jasper's gym. They're going to box."

"You shitting me?" Rose asked. "Fuck. I'll be there in ten minutes," she said in a rush as she ended the call.

I threw my phone down and looked around for some clothing. My room was a mess, and my floor covered in dirty laundry. _I really need to quit being such a slob_, I thought, then shook my head. I snatched up a pair of jeans off the carpet and quickly tugged them on. I added socks and a pair of tennis shoes, before Edward was back in my doorway. I stood up and Edward's eyes fell to my breasts.

"Uh, baby, I love you in my shirt, but you gotta wear a bra. Em will most likely end up killing me because I'll be so focused on those tits of yours that I won't even see his punches coming."

I glanced down at my breasts, my nipples poking out against Edward's t-shirt.

"Oh, yeah."

I knew I'd been forgetting something. I quickly pulled his t-shirt over my head then reached for a bra lying on the floor. I heard Edward suck in a breath.

I was grinning as I faced him. "See something you like?"

"Fuck yes," he said, right before he grabbed me a kissed me near senseless. His hand cupped my breast, one long thumb rubbing my nipple. I moaned as I felt passion flare within me.

"Shit. I go nuts when I kiss and touch you," he rasped against my lips. "I'll never get enough of you, baby."

"Same," I breathed, then slammed my lips back against his.

He moaned and allowed that kiss to go on for a minute before he drew back from me.

"Fuck. We've gotta stop. I'm going to go wait out in the living room." One last longing gaze at my boobs, and he was gone.

I was nervous on the way to the gym. Edward seeing my fidgeting reached over and grabbed my hand.

"Calm down, baby. It'll be fine. We're not really going to hurt each other."

"Can't I talk you out of this?" I pleaded.

Edward shook his head. "No."

"Maybe I can convince Em," I murmured as I glanced out the windshield to the building of Jasper's gym.

As soon as Edward parked, I was springing out the door. I was near trotting as I headed into the gym. I needed to get to my brother and calm him down.

Alice was working the reception desk that evening and glanced up at me in surprise. "Hey, Bella! You finally want to join?"

"No. At least not today. Have you seen my brother?"

"Uh, yeah. He just went in." Peering at my face, she drew her brows together. "Is something the matter?"

I felt Edward come up behind me, placing his hand on my back. "We're going to be using the boxing ring, Alice."

"We?" Alice's wide eyes bounced from Edward to me.

"Emmett and me," Edward clarified. He leaned down a kissed my cheek. "Come on, baby. Let's get this over with."

My eyes were on Alice's astonished face. She sent me a look that clearly said _I'll be calling you later_, before Edward guided me through the interior door to the gym floor.

We only got a few steps before Jasper stopped us. He noted Edward's hand gripping mine, and then a crooked smile lit up his face. "I see what you were busy with. And now I guess I know why Emmett just barged in here looking like he was ready to kill someone," he said to Edward with a laugh.

"It seems that Emmett is not okay with this new development," Edward replied as he lifted our hands and placed a kiss on the back of my knuckles.

"Well, all I can say is, it's about time." Jasper winked at me.

"Did everyone know that we loved each other, but us?" I asked Edward in amusement.

"Yeah. We did," Alice piped in, suddenly appearing at Jasper's side. "You two will make the cutest couple." Alice, ever the romantic, sighed happily.

Jasper gave his wife, Alice, an affectionate look.

"Bella's going to make me the happiest husband ever," Edward said with a sweet smile. I gazed up into his warm eyes and nearly melted.

"Oh, my god!" I heard Alice exclaim.

"They're not messing around here," Jasper replied to his wife with a laugh.

"Where's he at?" I heard Rosalie demand as she came marching into the gym.

"In the back," Alice said with a point toward the room that held the boxing ring.

Snapping out of my near daze, I let go of Edward's hand and gripped Rosalie's arm. "Come on. Let's go see if we can talk some sense into my bull-headed brother."

Emmett was in the boxing room, shirtless and already wearing boxing gloves. He was hitting a punching bag as if he meant to murder it. That was good. Maybe he'd get tired or work out all his anger on the bag instead of my boyfriend's face.

"Em—"

"Don't, Bella. You're not going to talk me out of this," Emmett said with another punch to the bag.

I went to speak, but Rose put a hand on my arm. I curtly nodded and decided to allow her to try to talk some sense into Emmett.

"Edward is your best friend," Rose reminded him. "You've got to be an idiot not to have seen how he and Bella felt about each other."

Emmett paused and turned to Rose with a deep frown. "Exactly why are you here? And what the fuck are you talking about?"

Rose's face set in anger. "I came to try to put a stop to this madness, you stubborn asshole. And even you must've noticed what's been going on between Edward and Bella for a long time."

He shook his head. "_Nothing_ has been going on. I don't know what you're talking about," he said, but slight uncertainty had crept into his voice as he looked to me.

"I love him. He loves me. _That's_ what Rosie is talking about," I blurted out with a roll of my eyes.

"_Fucking_ isn't _love_, Bella," Emmett said to me in a tone of voice that implied I was stupid.

I ground my teeth together as I curled my hands into fists.

"You shut up! You know nothing about what's occurred between Edward and me! _Nothing_," I retorted.

"You sound like a whiny baby," Emmett replied.

"_Fuck off, Em_," I hissed through my teeth.

Rose grabbed my arm again. "Leave it, Bella."

"I'm not finished—"

"Bella," Edward's voice cut my words.

I turned to find Edward standing in the doorway, his gaze steady. He held out his hand for me with a slight incline of his head. I shot Emmett my best bitchface, then marched over and wrapped my arms around Edward's neck, placing a hard kiss on his mouth.

"I'm going to kill him," I heard Emmett growl.

Edward lightly touched my face. "It'll be all right, baby," he whispered. Glancing to Emmett, he said, "Let's get this over with," in a flat voice.

I stepped back as Jasper came in the room. Edward tugged his shirt over his head, and even in this moment, I found myself licking my lips at the beauty of his sculpted upper body. Edward said something to Jasper, drawing my attention back up his face. His amused eyes were watching me, as if he knew what I had been thinking. I looked down and grinned to myself.

Jasper helped Edward into his boxing gloves, and then he insisted on them wearing helmets. Emmett grabbed a helmet, then entered the ring and was literally bouncing in impatience for Edward. Without looking at me, Edward climbed through the ropes and faced my brother.

"Em. Stop this. It's silly," Rose called out.

My brother didn't even look at Rosalie. "Stay out of this, babe. It's none of your business."

"Really, Em? Whatever. I hope Edward kicks your ass," Rose huffed as she flopped down into a chair to watch.

I stood beside her, too nervous to sit. Alice came to stand beside me. "My God. What the fuck happened this weekend?" Alice whispered.

"Edward and me happened," I replied as I tried to listen to Jasper lay out the rules to Emmett and Edward.

"What does _that _mean?" Alice demanded.

I looked at her in mild annoyance at distracting me. "It means we're now a couple. It means we're in love. It means that Edward and I fucked like bunnies. You happy?"

"Nice," I heard Rosalie say.

"Really nice," Alice added with smirk.

"And then Emmett came home and, uh, found us," I added.

"Well, that explains what's happening right now," Alice murmured.

Then the guys started boxing and everyone's attention turned to them.

I crossed my arms, hugging myself. I was so nervous that I was alternating between biting my lip and holding my hand to my mouth, chewing on my thumbnail in nervousness.

They circled each other, then Emmett swung out for Edward's face, but he ducked. Edward responded by a quick punch to Emmett's mid-section. Emmett growled and came out with a left hook that caught Edward on the jaw. Edward staggered back and then answered that with a right punch that landed above Emmett's left ear.

Emmett was shaking his head from that blow as Edward threw a pretty good punch to Emmett's side. Emmett said something too low for the rest of us to hear. Whatever it was, it enraged Edward for their boxing soon turned into something ugly. They forgot they were boxing and started to just lay into each other, punching each other so hard that I was yelling for them to stop.

Thankfully, Jasper jumped in and separated them.

"Listen to me, you fuckers. You're boxing, not street fighting. Follow the rules or get the fuck out of my ring," Jasper threatened them.

Edward nodded curtly at Jasper, but Em pretended to ignore him.

"Emmett. I'm serious," Jasper maintained. "I'll haul your ass out of here. Don't make this ugly."

"Fine. I got it," Emmett snarled at him.

They reset and went back to boxing, but it was clear, at least to me, that Edward was allowing Emmett to best him. They boxed; trading blow for blow, but then Emmett landed one hard left hook to Edward's temple.

Edward went down. Emmett stood over him, glowering down at him.

"Get up! Come on, you pussy. Get back up!" Emmett yelled.

"You win. It's over," Edward replied. "You've made your point."

"No, I haven't. You think I'm ever going to be okay with you and my sister hooking-up? You think I'll just let this go?" Emmett asked. "Get up."

Edward slowly sat up. He just rested there with his gloved hands in his lap. "No. We're finished."

"We're finished when _I _say we're finished," Emmett retorted.

Edward sighed and almost wearily climbed to his feet. He stood in front of Emmett, then lifted his wrist to his mouth, tugging on the laces for his right glove.

"Fight me," Emmett demanded.

Edward acted as if Emmett hadn't spoken as he took off his gloves and tossed them down, the helmet soon following.

"Let it go, Em," Edward said quietly.

"Stay away from my sister," Emmett said, "and I will."

"I can't. I love her," Edward answered as his eyes met mine.

"You're not good enough for Bella," Emmett replied.

"I know that. But why don't you allow Bella to decide what's best for her? She's an adult with her own mind," Edward said as he looked back to Emmett.

"No. You take your worthless ass back to the west side of town where it belongs. You can move the hell out of my apartment as well. Just get the fuck out of our lives."

Edward stood there with no expression whatsoever on his face.

"So. That's what this is really about," Edward said as his shoulders slumped. "I always thought it might come to this someday. All that about being my friend through thick and thin. All that you said after the death of my adopted parents, Carlisle and Esme. All that you ever swore to me. It was nothing. Easily broken because you think I forgot my place. Believe me, I've never forgotten who I am and where I'm from. All I am, all I'll ever be is just some rough, poor, orphan kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Damn it, Em, I _know_ I'm not supposed to love Bella, but I can't help it."

"You can. Just stop. Just go away," Emmett replied.

I met Rose's eyes, both of us in shock over what was occurring before us.

"I guess I'm not good enough to be your best friend, either. I've lived through the death of my birth parents and my adopted parents, but I don't think I'm going to make it through this loss," Edward said, his voice breaking. "Not the loss of the only true family I've ever known."

Emmett looked away, clearly shaken, but kept his silence.

"I guess we're done here," Edward said softly as he went to the ropes and then jumped to the floor. He never once looked back as he grabbed his shirt and strode through the door.

I watched his retreating back and then swung my eyes back to my brother.

"Go after him, Em. Tell him all that's not true!" I pleaded with tears welling up in my eyes.

Emmett stood there immobile for what seemed like eternity. Finally, he spun around and looked at me.

"I can't. It's the truth, Bella. He's not good enough for you."

Tears falling down my cheeks in anger, I stomped over to the ring.

"I've _never _been so disappointed in someone in my whole life! You know what a shitty life he's had! You know how rough his childhood was. You know he's got no one in this world, but us. You've been his friend through thick and thin, and yet, there you stand, acting like an asshole because of _me_? This has nothing to do with me! It all has to do with you. I'm telling you this right now, Emmett, I love him. I plan to marry him. If you make me choose, it'll be him. It'll _always_ be him. If you can't accept that, then we're done with each other."

I grabbed my purse and took off running out the door to catch up to Edward. I caught him just as he was getting into his car. I ran around to the passenger side and tried to open the door, but it was locked. I pounded on the window.

"Let me in, Edward Cullen!"

He shook his head and started the car.

"Don't you dare leave here without me!" I shouted with more pounding to the window. "I'll fucking follow your ass all the way home and then I'm going to kick it!"

Edward sat there for a moment, then I saw him hit the door unlock button. I quickly wrenched open the door and jumped into the car.

"What the fuck? Never do that to me again! I'm with you. Fuck my brother. I'm with _you_."

He sat rigidly gripping the steering wheel with white fingers. "How can we be together if your family will be against this? I can't make you chose me over them. I won't allow you to."

"Damn you. Look at me."

He took a deep breath, then his watery eyes met mine.

I reached out for him, blindly grabbing his shoulders, as I awkwardly hugged him across the seats.

"I love you. You hear me? _I love you_. It won't be like that. Mom and dad won't think like my brother. Emmett was just being an asshole. He'll get over it."

"I'm not sure I will," Edward said brokenly. "I thought of him like the brother I never had. I guess it was all one-sided. The betrayal hurts, Bella. It hurts," Edward repeated with a sob.

I awkwardly climbed into his lap, fitting myself best I could between him and the steering wheel. I then held him to me, his head on my shoulder, my fingers stroking through his hair. We sat that way for some time until there was a soft knock on the window.

I looked out to see Emmett standing there, Rosalie behind him looking like an avenging angel as she kept her eyes on him.

"Oh, great," Edward said with a sigh, as he reached around my back and hit the button to roll down the window. "What?"

"Can we get in?" Emmett asked. "I feel like a tool standing here in the parking lot."

"You _are_ a tool," I retorted.

"It's better than what Rosie's been calling me," Emmett said, sounding contrite.

"I think I've had about all the insults I can take for today," Edward said.

"No more insults. I promise," Emmett replied.

Edward shrugged and then unlocked the doors. I went to climb off of him, but he put a restraining hand on my thigh. "Stay close to me. I need you."

He turned the car off and released the seat back to give me more room as I shifted to a more comfortable position on his lap. Rosalie got in the back seat as Emmett slid into the passenger seat. He took in me snuggled on Edward, but didn't comment on it. He reached over and pulled my dangling feet onto his leg, giving them a pat.

"I guess I owe some apologies," Emmett began. "Let me start with, I'm fucking jet-lagged. That plane trip from Australia is a killer. It's no excuse, but I think I'm so tired that my brain is fried."

"What's your excuse the rest of time?" I snidely remarked.

Emmett shook his head with a pained grin. "Not the easiest person to be around, am I?"

"Only when you're being an asshole," I threw back at him.

"Not going to give an inch, are you, sis?" he asked me.

"Not after all the things you've said to Edward tonight."

"It's okay, Bella," Edward said quietly. "Everything Emmett said was right."

"Stop that!" I said as I gripped Edward's face. "You're not your past. You're not your mistakes."

"Bella's right. You're not. You're my brother. And even if I'm acting like an asshole, I do love you. You're not losing your family. I won't ask Bella to choose between her family and you. I may not like seeing you two kissing and shit, but you love who you love. If you two are serious about each other, then it's not my place to interfere." Emmett looked back to Rosalie as if asking for approval or to see if he'd said that right.

"What Emmett is saying is that he won't mess around in your relationship. And to help, he's going to move in with me," Rosalie added.

"I am?" Emmett asked her in surprise.

"You are," Rose said firmly.

Emmett rubbed his face. "Fuck, I'm tired. Take me home to get some clothes, Rose, and then I'm going to wrap myself around you and sleep for like a day."

"Okay. Make nice with your sister and her boyfriend, and then let's get out of here," Rose said as she got out of the car.

"Boyfriend," Emmett muttered as he watched Rosalie walk to her car. He let out an enormous sigh and then looked back to us. "Uh, this is awkward. It's going to take some getting used to. Just try to keep the kissing and touching shit to a minimum when I'm around, okay?"

"That's fair," I replied.

"Yeah. Okay. Uh, see ya," Emmett said, and then practically bolted from the car.

I climbed off of Edward and back into the passenger seat. "Holy shit, does Rose ever have him by balls. I wonder what she said to him," I mused.

"Well, it wasn't really an apology, but it was a start," Edward said.

"I still can't get over how he acted tonight. I never thought he'd lose it like that. Those things he was saying…" I reached over and grabbed Edward's hand. "You know he didn't really mean them. He loves you."

"I just can't lose my friend. The thought of it terrifies me. He's been the rock of my life for so many years. Your family is my family. This is why I was so afraid to pursue something with you. I was terrified of losing you all. I can't imagine how empty my life would be without you and your family in it."

I squeezed his hand. "You're not alone. You'll never be alone again. You've got me, and I love you. Trust in that. And you've got Emmett. This rift will heal between the two of you. It's going to be all right."

"But things will be different now," Edward pointed out.

"Yes. How could they not be? But change isn't bad; it's just a new way of being."

"Yeah," Edward said as he played with my fingers. "Listen. I promised you dinner, and I'm starving. Name the place."

"Truthfully, I'm exhausted. Someone kept me up all weekend making-love."

"Lucky son-of-a-bitch." Edward was grinning at me.

I laughed. "Let's just hit a drive-through and go home. We'll go out to dinner this week sometime."

"Sounds good. I can't wait to wrap myself around you and sleep," Edward said as he readjusted his seat and then restarted his car.

"Got your pillows ready." I gripped my boobs pushing them together.

Edward stared at my chest for a moment. "You've got tits to die for, baby."

"Your favorite new toy?" I asked playfully.

"Fuck, yes," Edward answered. He was smiling at me, and I was relieved to see him relaxed for the first time in hours.

Later, after we'd eaten, showered, and then climbed into bed, I sighed happily to be lying in Edward's arms. He was lightly stroking my arm as my fingers played with his chest hair.

"What if all this doesn't work?" Edward whispered.

I paused, then went back to stroking his chest.

"It'll work. We have a foundation of friendship and love even before being _in love_. Aside from Emmett, no one knows you like I do, and I can say the same in regards to you with me. We're not a couple of young, naïve kids here. We're adults choosing to begin a relationship."

"But what if we fight?" he asked.

"We'll fight. And then we'll make up," I replied.

"And what if I do or say something stupid?" he asked.

"Then I'll point it out to you and then it'll be over."

"And what if I ask you to marry me?"

I paused and then shifted my chest over his until I could see his face.

"Then I would say yes, and we'd live happily ever after."

He gazed at my face for several heartbeats, then took a deep breath.

"Say yes, Bella," he whispered.

My eyes widened in realization that Edward was being completely serious. Noting that Edward's heart was thumping hard, I felt my own heart leap and begin to madly race. My body trembling, I enveloped him in my arms, a smile of contentment upon my face.

"Yes."

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**xxoo**

**Sunny**


	3. Chapter 3

**Much love to Lynzylee and GeekChic12!**

**Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I own the contents of this story.**

**The last chapter is another Edward POV for you. It was supposed to get posted by Thanksgiving, but that didn't quite work out. Hope you like it. xx**

* * *

**The Friend Zone**

**Chapter 3**

I looked in trepidation at the cars parked in the driveway and in front of the Swan household. I noted Renee's compact car, Charlie's police cruiser, and Emmett's SUV. This would be the first time Bella and me would be with her family as a couple.

_Time to face the lions in their den_.

With Emmett as my best friend, I'd been here thousands of times over the years, of course. Renee had always been kind and motherly to me. Charlie had practically saved my life, mentored me, and helped get me back on the right path. I owed the Swan's so much.

I parked and just stared at the house. Bella reached over and squeezed my hand. "It'll be fine. Stop worrying."

"I have a feeling your dad is cleaning his gun about now," I replied with a worried frown. Bella was Charlie's only daughter, and he'd always been protective of her.

Bella laughed. "I won't allow him to shoot you. Promise."

"No, seriously. He's going to shoot me."

Bella giggled. "Stop. You're being silly. Dad's always liked you."

"As Em's friend. Being your boyfriend is a different matter entirely."

"Uh, fiancé," Bella reminded me.

I shook my head. "There is no fucking way we're laying that on them today. Let's not have a fight at the Thanksgiving table."

"Oh." Bella sounded disappointed.

"Bella, I haven't even bought you a ring yet."

She pulled her left hand out of mine and laid it on her thigh. "I guess I'm just excited and wanted to share it with my family," she said quietly as she stared at her hand.

"Hey. Look at me."

Brown eyes regarded mine, disappointment in their depths.

"Baby, this is new for them. Let's allow them to get used to us as a couple first."

"Yeah," she said as she looked away.

"Bella. What's going on?"

"Aren't you proud of being my fiancé?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" I reached over and took her hand again. "Bella. Baby. You agreed to marry me. I seriously doubt there's a man out there happier and prouder than I am."

"Then let me tell my family."

She defiantly held my gaze. I wasn't going to win this one. I had a feeling I wasn't going to win much in our relationship with her flashing me those big, beguiling eyes.

"If that's what you want to do, then okay. I just hope you're prepared for the fallout."

Bella unhooked her seatbelt and leaned over close to me. "Eyes on the prize, Cullen. The rest is just background noise."

I reached up and cradled her face in my palm. "Eyes on the prize, hmm? That won't be too hard. You're the only thing on Earth truly worth looking at."

"I wasn't talking about me," she replied with a grin. "But that's sweet that you would consider me a prize."

"Now you're just being silly," I said with a chuckle. "I've waited half my life for you to be mine. It's like a dream now that you are."

"Edward Cullen, are you trying to charm my pants off?"

"Does that work? Because I'm all for you having your pants _and_ your shirt off," I teased.

She giggled and gave me a little peck on the lips. "Come on. There's food and football on inside there. It's time to go in."

"I'm ready," I sighed.

Bella hopped out of the car, and I followed a little slower. Bella grabbed the pie she made from the back seat while I grabbed the grocery bag with drinks and dinner rolls. At the front door, I gave her one last look. She sent me a smile of encouragement, and then entered the house.

"Bella's here!" Em shouted. "And…Edward," he said quieter and not as enthusiastically.

I looked around shyly to Charlie sitting in his favorite arm chair, a beer in hand and a look of displeasure upon his face. "Bella," he said with a brief smile to his daughter. "Edward," he said curtly.

"Chief Swan," I acknowledged with an incline of my head.

"Daddy," Bella said with a warning tone in her voice.

"What?" he asked her. "I said hello to him, didn't I?"

"No, you didn't," she replied. "Edward is with me, and you all are just going to have to get used to it."

Charlie just grunted and put his attention back on the television.

Bella frowned and then tugged on my sleeve. "Come on. Let's go help Mom and Rosie in the kitchen."

Happy to not have to sit out there with Em and Charlie, I dutifully followed my fiancée. The reception there was much warmer.

"Bella, sweetheart!" Renee exclaimed as she hugged Bella with one arm. The other was holding a mixing bowl. "And Edward!" I too received a one-armed hug. Renee stepped back and studied us. "Well, don't you two make a fine pair? I'd always hoped you two would end up together," she said with a smile.

Bella sat down her pie and engulfed her mom in a hug. "Thanks, Mom."

"Sure, sweetie."

"The turkey smells delicious, Renee," I said.

She slipped out of Bella's hug and plopped down her mixing bowl. Renee then grabbed me by my upper arms and shook me a little. "Renee? I'm Mom from now on."

"Uh…" I darted my eyes to Bella.

"Are you going to marry my daughter or not?" Renee demanded.

"Yes. Absolutely. She already said yes," I hastily replied.

"See? I'm Mom now. And congrats, you two!" Renee said happily as she clapped her hands together.

"Congrats to what?" Rosalie asked as she walked in the door from the back deck, phone in hand. "I had to call Mom and Dad and discuss our Thanksgiving tomorrow with my brother's family. What's up, guys?"

"Engaged!" Renee said in glee and bounced on her toes.

"You smooth fucker," Rosalie said to me with a laugh. Realizing what she'd said, she sent Renee an apologetic look. "Sorry, Mom."

Renee waved her hand. "As if I care about that. I've been known to utter that word quite a bit myself."

"You?" Rosalie asked Renee. "Never would have thought it," she replied with a smirk. "Anyway, Bella, how the hell did you manage to get Edward to propose? I haven't even been able to get Em to do that after almost two years!"

"Well, I didn't exactly—"

"_Edward proposed_?" Emmett yelled, cutting off Bella and shocking us all into silence.

"We were—"

"Just what the hell is going on in here?" Charlie demanded as he stepped into the kitchen and slammed his bottle of beer down on the counter.

"If anyone will let me finish," Bella said as she came to my side, placing her hand on my chest, "Edward and I are engaged. Now, be all right with that, or we'll leave," she said defiantly.

"Bella," I said softly, trying to calm her fiery temper a bit.

"No. I'm right in this. I'm not a baby. I'm a grown woman in love with a wonderful man. You all know Edward, and he's practically been part of this family for years. Nothing has changed," Bella pointed out.

"I wouldn't exactly say that," Emmett retorted.

"Come with me, Cullen. Let's talk," Charlie ordered me.

"Dad—"

"This is between me and him, Bella. Stay out of it." Charlie's tone brooked no argument.

"It's okay," I said to Bella. She kissed my cheek and whispered _I love you_.

"Same," I whispered back and then followed Charlie out the back door.

Charlie was leaning against the deck railing with crossed arms. I sat down on the stairs leading down to the back yard with my hands clasped between my knees.

Charlie was silent for some time until I finally heard him release a deep breath. Then he came and sat down on the step next to me, his own hands clasped as he stared out at the evergreens lining the edge of the grass.

"Remember what I told you years ago?" he asked.

"The night you arrested me for the third time in three months?"

"Yeah. That night."

My mind drifted back to that summer of hell. The summer my adopted parents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen, had been shot in a random carjacking by some asshole high on meth.

"You said you were going to set me straight. You said you weren't going to allow me to waste my life. You told me to fight for myself and my future, not to throw it away."

"And you listened," Charlie replied.

"I did. I may not live a big, important life, but other than the occasional beer, I do live a clean, law-abiding life."

"I never told you that I was proud of you for that, did I?" Charlie asked as he turned to face me.

"No, sir. You didn't."

"Well…I am. With your messed up childhood and all the loss you've suffered over the years, you could have easily become another statistic locked up in the state penitentiary. But you didn't. You chose a different path. That takes courage."

"Thank you. That truly means a lot to me," I replied, my voice rough with emotion.

Charlie awkwardly patted my shoulder. "So, you want to marry my daughter."

"Yes, sir."

"You love her?" he asked.

"More than anything. I always have," I answered.

Charlie sighed and leaned back against the railings. "I guess I always knew that. You've been following Bella around with puppy dog eyes since forever. I guess she finally noticed and allowed you to catch her," Charlie said in amusement.

"Something like that," I replied with a chuckle, thinking about my girl and her near strip-tease for me to get my attention.

"It's okay. I'm not gonna say I love it, but I wouldn't like _any _man that came sniffing around my daughter. At least I know you and know that you'll take good care of her…or you'll answer to me."

"I told Bella when I parked out front that you were probably inside cleaning your gun," I replied with a grin.

Charlie laughed. "The thought had crossed my mind." He slapped me on the back. "Come on. Let's have a beer and watch the game until the food's ready."

"Sounds like a plan," I said in relief. That had gone much better than I expected.

When I walked back into the kitchen with Charlie, Bella's worried eyes darted between us. Charlie simply twisted his lips into a grin and retrieved two beers from the fridge. He handed me one and then went on into the family room without a word.

"It's all right," I said to Bella with a little kiss to her forehead.

"Thank God." Her shoulders sagged in relief.

"Your dad said I had to watch the game and drink beer. You know, manly things," I said as I flexed my bicep.

Bella laughed. "Okay. Well, go on with you then."

"Going," I called out as I sailed out of the kitchen and into the family room.

Emmett sent me a frown as I plopped down on the end of the sofa, but I ignored it. If Charlie and Renee were all right with our engagement, then all was well.

Later, after we'd eaten an amazing dinner, I found myself out of sorts. Any other Thanksgiving I'd be out in the back yard tossing a football with Emmett until the women would yell for us to get back inside and play some board games with them. This year, Emmett sat and stared at the TV, sipping on his beer and not talking to anyone.

Needing to do _something_, I stood up and headed for the kitchen, then on through the back door. I paused on the deck and looked around. It was an oddly warm day for this late in November. I began to think about Christmas next month, and how Emmett with his sulking and sullen attitude would most likely nearly ruin it.

I sighed and rubbed my face with my palms. Why did Emmett have to be such a pain in the ass about this? Why couldn't he just be happy that his sister was happy? I pulled out a deck chair and brushed the leaves off the seat. They made a rustling sound as the wind made them dance across the deck and into the grass.

I turned the chair to face the woods behind the house and sat down. I got lost in memories, as I usually did at the holidays. Memories of my birth parents, Elizabeth and Edward Masen. Poor, barely scraping by, simple people. If I thought really hard, I could almost pull up an image of them in my mind. But seven-year-old's memories aren't the clearest. Time and distance steals the sharp details. What I was left with were fuzzy memories of my mother's sweet voice and gentle hands she would brush across my hair. All I remember of my father is that he seemed as tall as a mountain and would lift me up until I could touch the ceiling. I grimaced at the pain and the joy of such simple remembrances.

My life would have been so different if they'd lived. The years of foster homes afterwards were harsh memories of loneliness, neglect, and anger at the world. I acted out. Took swings at the world that had dealt me such a harsh blow. I started fights at school, stole things I wanted, and was completely defiant in the face of authority, be it my foster parents, my teachers, or the principal.

Only one thing brought me back to the world and took away most of my anger: Esme Cullen. I squeezed my eyes closed tightly. She'd been a volunteer tutor at my school. I'd been hopelessly behind on all my subjects because I hadn't cared. Esme had been assigned to me, and she gently but firmly got me to do my school work. Her empathetic nature had her pulling my sad story from me and wanting to help me.

Before I could even understand what was happening, Esme and her husband, Carlisle, adopted me and brought me home. After years of sharing a room with other foster kids and almost militantly guarding my meager personal belongings, it had been strange to have my own room, my own bed, and my own things. I'd acted out at first, but Esme had been endlessly loving and patient with me. She and Carlisle had shown me that I was safe and cared for. I had come to love them.

And life had been good. For five precious years, I'd had loving, supportive parents. Five years. Then the night of June 19th happened. The day before my birthday, when my parents had gone into the big city to buy my special birthday present. Some asshole, high out of his mind, had shot them both and stolen Carlisle's car. They'd found their bodies lying in a parking lot as if they had been nothing at all. Esme. Good, kind Esme, left like garbage.

On the edge of seventeen, I'd suddenly lost another family. I lashed out again against the world. I raged. I got into a fight with some random dude over nothing and nearly bashed his head in. I drank. I got caught. I broke into the local department store and spent the night ransacking the place and then falling asleep in tears in the middle of an aisle. The store manager, along with Chief Swan, found me there in the morning.

That was when Charlie took me in hand. He said he'd had enough of me feeling sorry for myself. He told me to straighten out my life and choose a better path. Not only for my birth family, the Masens, but for my adopted family, and for myself.

Something got through to me. Maybe it was Charlie's words. Maybe it was Emmett hugging me and telling me it was all going to be all right. Maybe it was the soft look of understanding in Bella's eyes. Maybe it was all those things combined, but I knew I owed everything to these good people.

It suddenly hit me that it might be wrong to take something from them.

I heard the back door open but didn't turn to see who it might be. I figured it was Bella comimg to find me. I heard a chair scraping on the deck, and then Emmett flopped down beside me.

I had no idea why he had come out here, so I just sat and stared at the trees as twilight fell.

"We didn't toss a football this year," Emmett mused.

"Nope."

"Seems wrong to have Thanksgiving and not be tossing the pigskin around," he added.

I shrugged.

"You probably don't want to mess up your fancy clothes," Emmett said.

I looked down at my burgundy button down, my charcoal dress pants, and my black dress shoes. "At least I know how to dress appropriately for a holiday dinner," I gave back as I glanced over at Emmett's sweatshirt, jeans, and sloppily untied lumber jack boots.

"Huh. At least I don't spend my life babysitting people at a rinky-dink gym," Emmett gave back.

Falling into the rhythm of our life-long chiding game, I leaned back in the chair and crossed my arms. "Oh, yeah? Well, at least I have a full-time job."

"You're just jealous that my photography free-lance works gives me the freedom you don't have."

"Right. Sure. And you're just jealous that I'm smoother with women than you are."

I looked at Emmett to see his lips twisted up. I knew he couldn't let me win this game. He _never _let me win this game, but we'd traveled into dangerous territory.

"Well…" He was trying so hard not to say what I knew he wanted to. Another few seconds and: "Well, at least my girlfriend is _hot_." He flicked his eyes to mine, daring me to go there.

Oh, I dared.

A slow grin spread across my face. "My girlfriend is hotter, and at least I didn't drag her along for two years and _still _not propose to her."

Emmett groaned. "That's…disgusting. My sister is _not_ hot. And, well, I'm getting to it. I'll propose to Rosie. Someday."

"Chicken," I taunted him. "What the hell are you waiting for? You think you're ever going to do better than Rosalie? Seriously?"

I could see him think about that. "Damn it." He stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. "She say something?" he asked, sounding vulnerable.

"She brought it up in the kitchen. She's waiting, you idiot, for a proposal that never comes."

Emmett dropped his head and stared at the deck. "Scary shit, asking a woman to marry you."

"Yep," I readily agreed.

"What if she says no?" he asked with a glance to me.

I shrugged. "If she's put up with your ass for this long, I think she's in it for the long haul. But there's only one way to find out."

"Yeah," Emmett quietly agreed and looked down at the deck again. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

Emmett took a deep breath and turned his face to me. "I said, I'm sorry."

I just stared at him for one long moment. "You sure are. I mean, look at how you're dressed on Thanksgiving," I replied with a grin.

Emmett laughed. "Damn. I missed you. We cool?"

"We're cool. Now, where's the damned football? It's tradition, you know."

Emmett gave me a happy, boyish grin, then turned and ran back into the house to find the football. While he was gone, Bella came out on the deck.

"Hey, you."

"Hey, yourself," I said as I pulled her into my arms.

"Whatcha doin' out here?" she asked as she rested her chin on my chest and gazed up at me with those pretty eyes of hers.

"I was talking to Em."

"Oh. And?" she asked.

Just then, Emmett came back out with one arm around a football and the other around Rosalie. "Look what I found inside. A hot, hot girlfriend. I think I'll keep her."

Rosalie laughed and smacked Emmett on the arm. "You're an idiot."

"But you love me?" Emmett asked with a cheesy smile.

"That's still up for debate," Rosalie replied as she went to sit down in a deck chair.

"Aww. I think you love me just a little. Maybe even enough to marry me," Emmett said with an expectant look.

"No idea. You never ask," Rosalie said with a frown and looked away.

"Maybe I will ask," Emmett said quietly.

"And maybe I'll consider it when you do," Rosalie replied.

Emmett knelt in front of her and took her hand. "And maybe I'll give you quite a lot to consider, Rosalie Hale."

He leaned forward and whispered something too low for us to hear. Rosalie blinked her teary eyes and nodded. "Enough of that. Go play football with your future brother-in-law," she said.

Emmett leapt to his feet, looked to me, and groaned. "Brother-in-law? _Jesus Christ_."

Everyone laughed.

Bella pecked me on the lips. "I love you," she whispered.

"Love you, baby."

She gave me a blinding smile and then shoved me away from her. "Go play with your friend."

Emmett came over and threw his arm around my shoulder. "But he's not just my friend. He's my brother."

I was nearly in tears. My world had been set back to rights. I looked from Bella to Emmett's face. Two people who truly loved me. I took a deep breath and blinked the tears out of my eyes.

"Brother," I repeated, liking the sound of it. "Yeah," I nodded, and Emmett made a ridiculous face at me. I laughed. "Idiot," I said but hugged the shit out of him.

All was forgiven. After all, that's what family does.

* * *

**Thanks for reading my little story! Have a wonderful Christmas, if you celebrate it, and a blessed New Year! **

**Much love,**

**Sunny**


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